


Because I Knew You, I Lived

by shogi_king



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Arranged Marriage, Crossdressing, M/M, More tags to follow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:45:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2382158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shogi_king/pseuds/shogi_king
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A security blanket in the form of a dress is not what is needed to maintain the reputation of the Kurokos' family name. Or, at least, that is what Tetsuya had thought. (Crossdressing!Kuroko)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is just a short preview to what I hope will become a new fic! Please give me some feedback or comments on what you would like to see in the future! 
> 
> I kindly suggest that you take caution reading this if you are triggered by mentions of abuse.

 

It was nearing nine o' clock on a night in January when the nurse carried a quiet baby, swaddled in multiple blankets, to his mother. 

"Congratulations, Mrs. Kuroko! Would you like to hold your baby boy?"

The woman who lay on the bed stared at the nurse sadly, and after a few moments of silence, asked, "What is the point of congratulating me? I don't even want the child."

The nurse, who was dressed in scrubs adorned with small, yellow daisies, gave an apologetic smile before she turned to place the newborn in the crib. "I understand. Right now, it may seem like a burden. I mean, you carried your child for 9 months and went through a fair amount of excruciating pain, but by the time the sun comes up tomorrow, I'm certain that you will see the light that this baby is already showing me right now." Her slim, pale fingers held the infant's little ones and the corners of her lips lifted before sitting next to the new mother. "My child was actually born not too long ago- not even two months ago! His name is-"

"Your child is a male? How does your husband feel about that?"

"Ah, well, I don't really think that he feels any resent...? In fact, he was rather ecstatic about it. But, what of it? Is that what has been bothering you?"

The blue-haired woman nodded meekly. "I... I accept my child and I love him for who he is- in fact, I'm really just grateful that I was blessed with such an adorable son. It's just that my husband might not."

The petite medic sighed softly. She had only agreed to come back to work in spite of her son because she enjoyed seeing happy, new parents, but this was the one-in-a-million that she had always hoped she would not have to encounter. "I'm so sorry to hear that. I don't really know what to tell you, but I do hope that your husband will be happy for you and your son once he finds out."

* * *

 The sound of his father's impact on his skin caused a tension at the table and a shaking finger pointed at what seemed to be delicate girl with long, powder blue hair. 

"Are you stupid, Tetsuya?! Here I was thinking that our first day into this fine, decent neighborhood would change your mind and allow you  _another_   fresh start, but you really don't get the point, do you? Do you not know the meaning of 'sacrifice'? Or are you really just that dumb? How many times do I have to repeat to you that you are forbidden to leave the house?"

"Nothing will happen to me," The young teen replied, his fists shaking behind his back. "It was just at the nearby basketball courts... and I was even dressed as myself, so I don't see what your problem is!"

"'I don't see what your problem is'? Really? Tetsuya, you may be biologically male, but until you leave my territory, you will always be a woman! Do you understand that? You know what? This has been the third time. You disobeyed me twice in middle school and now your first day here. I guess that I'll really have to take larger measures. I'm calling for security guards to watch over our house from here on out."

"Katashi," the soft-spoken mother had intervened, "I don't think that we have to go that far. If you want, we can have Tetsuya watched by one of my friends." Her husband was about to reject the proposal until she added, "I've known her ever since Tetsuya was born. She will know what to do in case anything happens." And as if the woman had read the two males' minds, she stated, "She was the nurse that took care of me in the hospital."

"I... I guess we could work with that. Very well. I look forward to meeting her if she agrees."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On that day, it was decided that the newlywed Katashi and Satoko Kuroko would have to bear a daughter.

The month of May was when the young, newlywed couple discovered that they were going to have a child to be born in the month of January. Everything was in order by then. The family business was very successful, and thanks to that, the pair was able to settle into a beautiful home in Kanagawa, a prefecture that was part of the Greater Tokyo area. In fact, the company was running so smoothly that it became one of the most popular and productive of them all, just one under the ever so famous Akashi Corporation.

That was until Katashi's father, the CEO of KUROKO MOTORS, put an abundance of partnerships and deals with other businesses on his plate before he stepped down to make way for his son, relying on the assumption that his business would be as prosperous as it had been during the last year. 

Little did he know that the company would come close to its collapse five months later.

* * *

In the month of September, the couple received good and bad news. Well, whether it was good or bad depended on who was asked, and when they were asked. 

On the third week of that month, the 16th, to be exact, Satoko had visited her husband at the car company's main office. 

"Ah, Sa-chan! What are you doing here?" Her husband had exclaimed, hurriedly sitting her down at the couch near the wall. "What if something had happened to you? I can't even imagine..." He squeezed his eyes shut, giving her an embrace until she patted his arm as her shoulders shook in amusement.

"I have something wonderful to show you, Kata. Sit down with me first." She said coolly, tugging on her spouse's white dress shirt. The teal-haired woman then took out a fallow-brown colored envelope  with a white sticker enclosing its contents. "I couldn't wait for you to get home, so I wanted to come here right away."

The obvious wonder in her husband's eyes resulted in her lips tugging up. "Oh, Sa-chan... Is this...?" His fingers trembled as he delicately opened the envelope to see black and white images.

"I went to the doctor again today. The ultrasound technician told me that our child is a boy." In spite of her usual ability to maintain her equanimity, her smile was uncontrollable. "I'm so, so happy, Katashi," she mumbled onto her husband's shoulder. Closing the distance between them, his arms wrapped tightly around her small frame. 

* * *

The spare room in the Kurokos' abode had turned into a nursery for their son-to-be. White and yellow stripes, family pictures, and Satoko's paintings of stars adorned the room's walls. Small, plush basketballs, bears, children's books from Satoko's publishing company, and small models of KUROKO MOTORS' cars were also neatly placed in the wicker baskets and shelves. Even the clothes that the baby was supposed to wear was folded in neat stacks in a drawer that the couple had built together.

Or at least, they should have been in the drawers, and the toys should have been on display, ready to welcome the expected infant.

When the woman with gentle and clear blue eyes had entered the room, everything was gone, save for the crib and wall decorations. Even the powder-blue curtains had been stripped away. Her lips quivered at the sight and she rushed to the drawers. The clothes were also gone. All that remained were the hollow wood constructions and the smell of drying paint. What had happened? She called out for her husband, who was in the middle of finishing his dinner. "Kata? What is this in Tetsuzo's room? Or actually, what _isn't_ this?" Her hand sliced through the air, emphasizing the sudden emptiness of the room."There's nothing here."

"About that, Sa-chan. Why don't we talk about this at the table? I think it would be best if we spoke about this calmly."

 When the pair had been situated at the dinner table, Katashi took a long breath and ran his hand through his own cerulean locks. "I made a mistake, Satoko. I made a very big mistake."

"I'm sure that it will be okay in the end, Katashi," she reassured him, reaching across the table to hold his other hand with her soft, china-like ones. "What happened?"

Her sky-blue orbs widened when she suddenly saw tears dropping out of her husband's eyes, the ones that were usually windows to his happiness. But instead of bright skies and sunshine, there was a darkened sea. "Please, you must tell me that you won't get angry at me."

"I won't, I won't. I'm with you on everything, remember? I always have been."

"I know, but this one is different. Today, I had a meeting with the company's adviser. And... remember how I told you and father that I'd fix everything? That I'd find a solution?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Sa-chan, the adviser told me that we were in deep debt, and the only way to fix it is to get loans, but I don't know... I didn't want to risk it, I really- all of father's hard work, I couldn't throw it all away."

"You can still do it. I believe in your abilities, Kata." She patted her husband's hand, which had curled into a loose fist. "It wasn't your mistake, even your father said so."

"But there's more to it. I also saw Akashi Seishirou today, and apparently he knows about everyone's financial status."

Anyone who was involved in the business world would know about Akashi Seishirou, also known as the old man who was in everyone's business. And in spite of the notion that Satoko was in an entirely different field, publication to be specific(compared to the Akashis' finance) he even snooped into her status. The crinkles in between her eyebrows and the sudden change in tone as she said "Oh.." only confirmed to Katashi that she knew to prepare herself for what to expect next.

"He told me, Satoko, that he would help us, though."

"Oh?" Was that disinterest in her voice? "What did he offer?"

"He... he said that he would pay for all of our debts, in exchange for an arranged marriage between our children. He said that he will financially support our family, too. And it seems that he also knew of your pregnancy, because he mentioned that now was the perfect time since the heir to his company was also expecting a child." And if his wife's eyes weren't enough of a warning, he added, "But the problem is, he revealed to me that his grandson will be a boy."

"Akashi doesn't know about Tetsuzo's gender, right?"

"No. But... from now on, we will be calling her Tetsuya."

"Her? Who?"

The male's eyes traveled down to her belly, and immediately she stood up, the impact of her palms against the wood causing him to jolt in his seat. "What are you talking about, Katashi?! Did you agree?! Are you rejecting our own child's very  _being_ for the sake of your company? We can make this work, Katashi," she denied, shaking his shoulders after walking to his side of the table. "You can still say no to him, right? We can compromise-"

"No, we can't, Satoko! We can't!" His rough hands braced on her delicate arms that were shaking in frustration, in anger. "I'm so sorry!"

"You have tomorrow and tomorrow only to speak to him about this, Katashi. If you tell me anything other than a 'Yes, we have changed it', then my _son_ and I are leaving."

"You won't do that, I know that you don't have it in you. Don't be ridiculous!"

" _You_ don't be ridiculous," she managed to hiss out of gritted teeth, "I am very fine on my own without someone unfair like you." 

That night, Satoko had the last word.

* * *

The last of the setting sun's light was focused on tending to Satoko's tear-stained cheeks when Katashi entered the guest room on the first floor of their home. 

"Sa-chan...? I'm home." There was a packed duffel bag set next to the bed, but he paid no mind to it as he approached her and sat on the edge of the mattress. "Did you eat yet?"

Her head shook. "Did... did you speak to Akashi?"

"I did."

And after that, nothing. Two minutes of pure stillness, other than the soft ticking of the wall clock and the sniffing of Satoko's nose as she wept. 

_"I really want to stay."_

"You should."

"I want our family to be complete."

"I know, Sa-chan. Me too."

"I don't want Tetsuya to suffer."

_"I'm sorry."_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your kudos' and words of encouragement! I'd like to thank angstyteenftw and seijuurouvevo from Tumblr for helping me decide on the Kuroko family's businesses as well! I hope that this fic will meet your expectations.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a night -- one of the days during the week before school started, to be exact, that had made Tetsuya feel joy for the first time in Kanagawa. At first, he had thought that his feeling of happiness was mostly caused by the fact that he got to feel the rush of basketball again, but after days and days of thinking, maybe it was because of this person that he had encountered.

The young boy, donning a typical male's outfit with a beanie to cover his long hair, was busy dribbling and swerving from side to side, as if playing against an actual person. 

But really, it was just his imagination. There was no way that anyone would want to play with him. And this wasn't even an assumption anymore; it was something that people had confronted and told him about. 

He hadn't realized that there were people who had entered the fenced court until a voice had boomed from the entrance, so loud that it might just have been able to cause a crack in the night sky. 

"Hey, so," a tanned male in a black hoodie and midnight-blue shorts to match his hair leaned against the entrance with a group of other guys with differently-colored hair gathered behind him. "I hope you don't mind, but we also plan on using this court. Do you want to take up half of it while we play on the other, or...?"

A blonde male chirped up from behind him. "Aominecchi, why don't we have him play? We can do a three-on-three if he joins since we're missing an extra member anyway."

Tetsuya, who had turned out to be the youngest of all of them, nodded enthusiastically to join, much to the five other boys' glee.

It was short-lived, however, once his light-blue phone had started to vibrate in his backpack. Once he flipped his phone open, his lips twitched downward at the picture of his father. Was he around the neighborhood park or something, too?

"Yes, father?" The annoyance in his voice was evident, the words in from his mouth very crisp.

"Tetsuya, this is your mom." The young boy's sigh of relief caused her to breathe into the phone, a silent laugh escaping. "It seems that you have forgotten, but my friend who just moved in yesterday from across the street is coming to our house in five minutes. Your father just told me to tell you to come home as soon as possible and through the back door so that if she does end up coming early, she won't see you as a boy."

 _But I thought that she knows about my situation,_ he had wanted to say. Instead, he zipped up his dad's old scraggly backpack after putting his basketball in and replied a short "Yes."Afterward, he turned to the group of boys who had started to warm up and tried to call for their attention, but no one seemed to have heard him except for the shortest one with red hair. 

"Will you be able to play with us?" The boy had asked, his voice rich and his stare an oxymoron. It was icy, yet it hinted at a small sense of comfort and warmth at the same time.

"I'm afraid not, my parents are calling me home. Please tell your other friends, too, since I have to go as soon as I can."

"...Oh. Well, okay." The redhead had offered a genteel smile. "I hope that we can all play sometime soon. We all probably live in the same area anyway."

"I look forward to that."  _If I can,_ he had noted in his mind. 

* * *

The second meeting of his mother's friend was fairly pleasant. She was a knowledgeable and cheerful woman with striking red hair, much like the boy that he had met an hour before. And although the only time that she had met him before was the day of his birth, it was as if she practically knew his life story in spite of leaving out the part where he was actually a boy under the bows, frills, and skirts that he wore. 

"You're just like my son, Sei. He also enjoyed sports as a child and is glued to his books! Well, actually, he's still rather sports-minded. He even missed out on today's meeting with your family because he was too busy playing basketball and catching up with his friends! Would you believe that? I don't know if you saw him helping us unpack yesterday, but he's also the same age and grade as you. So I really do hope that you two will get along. After all, you are both transfers!"

"Ah, I see," Tetsuya had responded politely, feeling the pressure his father's close eye. With or without the pressure coming from the other end of the table, he was genuinely interested in what Seiko-san had to say. Although there was much that spilled from her mouth, they were all worth listening to. "I hope that your son and I will be in the same class. It would be a nice opportunity to be able to make a friend or two around here." 

"Right? My husband is planning on having us stay here for the rest of our days, too- or at least, I believe he does. But he's so busy with business trips that it'll probably just be me and my son at the house," she said, frowning. Her sunny smile returned not a second later, though. "At least we'll have your company after school starts next week, though, Tetsu-chan! Satoko here told me that you'll be with us after school while your parents work, right?"

"You're right. But I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Seiko-san."

"It's not a problem! We'd enjoy having you at our house." After that, she turned to his parents, which he took as a sign to leave. It would probably take hours until their conversation would end. 

* * *

Although there was not a problem for Shiori Seiko, there was definitely one for Tetsuya on Friday afternoon, after the last day of his first week back at school. When he had entered his home after walking from school, he had immediately heard chattering from his parents and Seiko-san. 

"Tetsuya, is that you?" The soft pattering of slippers slapping the floor grew louder as Satoko approached the front door. "Come say hi to Shiori and her son, we're in the kitchen having lunch as well."

So there they went, into the kitchen. Tetsuya was about to greet his family's guests until he locked eyes with his new neighbor's son. _That red,_ the young schoolgirl identified, _why didn't I see the possibility of them being related?_

The other boy- or rather, the only one who seemed to be a male in the house, for Tetsuya's father was at work, also reacted to the sight of the female student who had entered. Although his expression of shock was as equally unapparent, he hinted at slight confusion as he greeted the girl.

And when she had responded, Shiori chirped, "Tetsu-chan, this is my son Seijuuro! I'm guessing that it's your first time meeting?" She looked over at her son as she asked.

"That seems to be the case, but for some reason... I'm sorry, this might sound a little strange, but Kuroko-san looks very familiar." And just when she was about to open her mouth again, his eyes grew wide in realization, making Tetsuya stiffen in the slightest. "I know now. I believe that I bumped into you by mistake on the first day of school. We were on our way to the opening assembly. I do apologize for that again, though. I'm sure that it made a bad first impression since I'm your new neighbor." 

"No, no," sky-blue locks bunched up in a ponytail whipped from side to side as the youngest of the Kuroko family shook his head. It was hard not to contain his relief that he didn't remember him from the basketball court. "Please don't worry about it, I didn't really get hurt."

The rest of the two hours of bonding with the mother and son from the household across the street was one of much joy and laughter, along with the occasional polite giggle from Tetsuya and answers from Seijuuro to the Kurokos' questions. And the boy with powder-blue orbs would have thought that the end of the night would be fair and well, until his father made a comment during dinner.

"Say, Tetsuya, I think that you should get to know Shiori's son a bit better. He seems to be a nice boy. To start off, he's very intelligent, plays the violin and piano, enjoys sports, and he seems to be a very even-minded and reasonable young man as well." His father stared at his 'daughter' for a short while, as if replaying what he had said, and nodded to himself. "Yes, indeed, he would make a very good partner for you. You are at a decent age to start da-"

"Are you telling me to consider him as a potential _partner?"_ Kuroko had spat out, slowly putting his chopsticks down to prevent himself from slamming them on the table.

"Well, yes. I'm sure that you don't have a problem with me offering a few suggestions, right?"

"Father, I... I can't believe that you're pushing it this far. Don't you see that I'm also a male? Even if I did consider it, that would be so inconsiderate towards Seiko-kun! Why do you even insist that I live as a girl? If your issue is just having a secure heir to your company, I can do that! I can work even harder at school, learn instruments, anything!  Is the issue that I don't try hard enough? Am I even-"

His father stabbed his chopsticks into his rice not too gently, causing his wife to flinch beside him, and stopped eating his dinner to give his child a cold stare. "It's not about that, Tetsuya. What have your mother and I told you about making stupid conclusions like that? Just... Just wait, okay? And in the proper time, you'll know some way or another."

Before excusing himself from his unfinished meal, the boy looked to his mother, seeing if she was even thinking of helping him out of his situation. But, much to his disappointment, her eyes were only downcast in an effort to avoid meeting his or his father's stares.

* * *

 When the lights had been shut off and there was a certainty that it was dark enough that nobody in the neighborhood would be able to see him, the sixteen-year-old set off for the neighborhood park, dressed again in clothing that would cover the features that would allow one to identify him. And once he had reached his destination, the universe had granted his wish of not having many people at the courts. Instead, there was only one person, by the name of Seijuuro Seiko.

After the boy had made his presence known through a noisy creaking of the gate's door, the latter with scarlet hair wished him a good evening and offered to play a one-on-one. However, just when he was about to say yes, his stomach decided to grumble; rather loudly, at that.

"That doesn't sound good," Seijuuro said, shaking his head in pretend disappointment. He approached the newcomer and sat on the cold, metal bench near the sides of the court while the other unpacked his water, towel, and ball. "Shouldn't you have had dinner by now?"

"I did have dinner," the younger said as-a-matter-of-fact, "I just didn't finish it, though."

"Oh? Here, take half of my food. I was also getting pretty exhausted anyway, so it's good you came." And indeed, Tetsuya was offered half of the rice ball, neatly placed in a plastic container.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I'd feel bad if I took it. We just met-" He had stopped in the middle of his sentence, almost thinking that what he said was a slip of the tongue. How could he have forgotten that he and Tetsuya were two identities? He realized shortly after, however, that it did make sense. They really did just meet. "Yeah, we just met, anyway, so I'd feel rather guilty. Thank you, though."

If the other had noticed any uncertainty in Tetsuya's voice, he certainly did not show it. "No, please, I do encourage you to eat. I refuse to play until I know that you are in a better condition. Can't have you passing out mid-shoot, you know." He took Tetsuya's pale wrist and placed the food on his palm. "By the way, are you from around here? You look like someone I know. Your aura is the same, too," he continued,"it's very interesting, your presence. Have you considered joining the basketball team? Someone like you might be useful."

It would have been nice, Tetsuya thought, if Seijuuro had said that in front of his father. Then, maybe he'd allow him to play. But, remembering that the latter was still waiting for a response, he shook his head carefully, so that his beanie would not slip off and reveal the length of his locks. "No, I... I'm not really from around here. Just visiting, is all."

* * *

Later on Monday morning of the second week of school, there was a ring on the Kurokos' doorbell. The father and son - or rather, the father and daughter, continued to eat their breakfast while Satoko rose from her chair to answer the door. Not even five seconds after she had checked who was waiting in front of their door, she called for Tetsuya, telling him to get into his uniform and "look girlier", as his father would have said, for the son of the Seikos was there. 

And as Tetsuya was heading up the flight of stairs and then into the hallway leading to his room, he heard his mother's voice. "Oh, Seijuuro-kun! You're here early today. Is there something that you need?" 

The schoolgirl only heard bits and pieces of the conversation, but he realized that Seiko-kun was there to pick him up.  _I bet that his mother told him to do that,_ he snickered to himself as he fought with his tousled bedhead. If only his hair didn't reach as far as the middle of his back, then getting ready in the morning would have been much easier, wouldn't it? He couldn't wait for the day that his father would accept him for the way that he was.

Once Tetsuya was ready to head to school, she headed down to the first floor of their house and greeted Seijuuro with a modest smile. Then, after exchanging their goodbyes with the head of the household, they set out to walk to school. 

"Uh, Seiko-kun," Tetsuya offered the start of a conversation. Typically, he wouldn't mind, but there was something nagging at him to start. "Thank you for taking the time to come over to our house and wait. It was probably an inconvenience, wasn't it?"

Seijuuro shook his head. "No, it wasn't. I was actually curious about something and wanted to ask you a question, so it was by my choice. And I think that there isn't much of a need for formalities. I barely met your parents, and I already see them as a second set of guardians. I'd compare them to my relatives, but none of them pay much mind to me anyway. Nevertheless, please feel free to call me by my first name."

"I'm pleased to hear that you feel comfortable around my parents. I feel the same way about your mom, actually. But, the thing about formalities... I think that I'd rather stick with calling you Seiko-kun." After a short pause, he continued, "...I guess that it shouldn't stop me from allowing you to call me by my first name, though."

"Ah, thank you, Tetsuya." The sound of that wasn't too bad. Maybe it was okay to allow him, the younger had thought. "Anyway, the question that I wanted to ask was whether or not you have a relative staying over. The reason why I'm asking is because there was this boy our age yesterday who looked _so much_ like you. He was like, a carbon copy. Except that you're a female and he's a male."

From there, it takes a lot for Tetsuya to maintain his equanimity. A lot to prevent himself from blurting out that it was really him, and maybe even attempting to ask for a little help again. In the end, though, he shook his head, like usual. "No, I don't. The only relatives that I really keep in touch with would be my grandparents, anyway." 

Seijuuro let out a thoughtful hum. "It would have been really interesting if you guys were actually related, though. It's like you're one person." He paused when Tetsuya had to cough at that. "Say, since we live across from each other, do you think that you would take a liking in playing basketball again? My mom did mention something about you playing basketball in the past, so I was just wondering."

"I would really, really enjoy that," he said, almost too excitedly, causing Akashi to chuckle. "I don't know if my father will allow me, though. Since I've grown... I guess you could say that he developed higher standards for me."

"Ah, I see. Well, that's a shame. I could try talking to him, if you want. My own father told me that I have a way with my words, you know."

Orbs that mimicked the ocean averted their gaze to those that mimicked the opposite; a burning flame. "I can tell that you are a good person, Seiko-kun."


	4. Chapter 4

It was certainly a shock to Tetsuya when Seijuuro had pointed out his father's car. 

"It seems that you're not the only one getting a ride home today, Tetsuya." The male directed his gaze to the white car driving towards them. "I'm glad, though. I was very unwilling to allow you to walk home by yourself in this condition." 

The young teen with blue hair looked up, and surely the darkening gray of the clouds were trying to tell them that it was going to pour soon. A buzzing in her left hand brought her attention to her phone screen, where her father's once wrinkle-free face was illuminated across it. But now, Tetsuya thought that it was no longer the sky that represented their family. Rather, it was the same darkening gray that lay itself above her head from a distance. 

_A distance, huh._

"...listening Tetsuya?"

The light colored eyes shifted to Seijuuro, who smiled reservedly. "I thought that you were gone for a minute. I think it's best that you head to your father's car now," He cocked his head in a secretive manner toward Katashi's white car. "It seems to me that he's in a rush."

* * *

Much to Tetsuya's surprise once again, it turned out that he and his father were not heading  home. Instead, his father suggested that they spend their lunchtime at Satoko's business. An uncomfortable silence settled between the father and son, save for the occasional unsuccessful conversation starter. One question, however, was able to maintain the interest of the two.

"So, it seems to me that Seiko-kun didn't plan on walking home today either, hm?" The car made a stop at the red light, allowing the pair to look at each other in the eye through the mirror. 

The other nodded meekly. "Your assumption is correct, father."

"Is he attending another shogi event today? Violin performance, perhaps?"

"No, I think that the importance of the today's event is even greater than anything he's done. Seiko-kun's father is actually back. He told me that it's been two years since he's seen him in person because he had to go out of the country to take care of some business-related things."

"Two years out of the country for business-related things? He must be a very successful man." 

"That's what I told Seiko-kun, too," the teen agreed, "But he responded by telling me that his father's achievements are nothing compared to his grandfather's."

"Really? Wow... But shouldn't we have been able to recognize the surname 'Seiko' by now, if his family is so successful?"

"I actually discovered that Seiko isn't actually his real last name. Rather, it's his mother's last name. His family just agreed to use her surname to protect them. But are you familiar with the Akashi Corporation? The one across from your buildi-"

His father's alabaster hands, which were already considerably pale, turned even whiter as he gripped on the wheel, Tetsuya had noticed. The reason why, though, he was not so sure. Yet, his expression was still identical to his own son's -- void of much emotion. If anger had been the reason why his knuckles had turned so white, the heir of the business could only note a slight tinge of it. "I am. The old man that stepped down a few years ago is... very accomplished. Sometimes not even with things concerning his business," he muttered. "Are you telling me that Seiko-kun is really Akashi-kun?"

"Yes."

The man driving no longer responded after that, and only stayed tight-lipped during the duration of the rest of their travel. The reason why, though, Tetsuya was not sure.

Two days after their conversation, the boy's parents suddenly announced that they had to move up North. And seven months after they had boarded an airplane and moved into the heart of Japan, Tokyo itself, the reason still would not have had itself revealed to him.

* * *

 A few hours short of the nearing end of December 20th, Seijuuro placed a slice of cake on his mother's altar cabinet as he knelt in front of her picture, eyes closing as he thought of the words that he wanted to say to his mother. And he hoped that wherever she was, his thoughts would relay to her.

 _I hope you like the cake, Mother. It's dark chocolate, made by the Murasakibara family in Akita. It's so kind of them to remember our favorite flavor, isn't it?_ He opened his eyes as a small, shaky smile appeared on his lips. And as if she were really there, he nudged the small plate closer, imagining that his mom were refusing to take it, as she always did. Always, she claimed that she was on a diet -- when she didn't really need to. But always, she would accept it in the end, feigning reluctance. It was only until she was diagnosed with cancer that he started to fail to persuade her to give herself a small break, however. He and his father had thought that moving to Kanagawa to get treated at the Midorima Medical Institute would give her a better chance of survival, but- 

"Seijuuro." His father stood next to him, frowning at the sight before him. "It's hard, but you need to get over her. You're only adding to the distractions that are preventing you from-"

"Mother is  _not_ a distraction." The boy hastily wiped his tears from his eyes, clearing the blurriness away from his eyesight. 

The latter only hummed. Was that irritation? Indifference, even? 

"I kindly request that you leave. I'm trying to pay her some respect right now, unlike you."

"Is this how I raised you to speak to me?" Masaomi gave his son a moment's stare of disapproval before he turned around to head to his room. "I kindly request,  _my son,_ that you learn to acknowledge your place around your father." 

Once he was certain that the CEO of the family company was out of sight, he held onto both sides of the cabinet, releasing the bite he held on his lower lip to prevent it from quivering. If only the structure's material were something softer than wood, his fingernails may have already sunk into it, creating crescents. 

 _Mother, since I gave you a bigger slice of cake to make up for the two years that you had to miss out because of your "diet"... please, help me._ His chest heaved as his lungs desperately yearned for air, and his heart ached as painfully as it had two years ago, when his mother comforted him after they discovered of the silent disappearance of their neighbors from across the street, 

and his closest friend.

 

When the grandfather clock in the corner of the wall reminded him yet again to go back to sleep once it had reached the eleventh hour, Seijuuro bid a good night to his mother, wishing her a peaceful rest wherever she was, and head to his room.

In front of his door lay an envelope. 

 _So it seems that he really had forgotten._ The young man's lips turned downwards in disappointment, although he had already been preparing for and expecting it. At least his father still had the heart to attempt to give him something, although it was probably half-hearted.  _Birthday money, huh. Whenever you forgot to look for a present to give one of your coworkers' children for their birthday, this is what you usually got._

_Am I now so forgettable?_

In appreciation for the fact that his father even got him anything anyway, he opened the envelope once he stepped into his room. 

The contents were not in the form of yen, but a handwritten letter that read:

 

_This year was not an easy one, but one day I know that we will get through it._

_My American business partners say that once a boy turns eighteen, they are considered a young man._

_Therefore, I expect no less from you. Study hard and prepare yourself well_

_to take over what I and our whole family lineage have been working on. Here is a number_

_I have found that I believe you will appreciate: 0XX-XXX-XXXX_

_Although it is one of a friend, I hope that it will not become a distraction, nor a decision_

_that I will regret making in the future._

_Happy birthday, son._

 

_-Father_

 

He cocked his head to the side in wonder of who the number's owner may be, for the ten digits were not familiar to him in any way. But, if his father permitted it, he guessed that he could give it a try.

 **To:** 0XX-XXX-XXXX

**Message:**

Good evening.

_Sent 11:06_

It did not take long for the recipient to respond.

 **From:** 0XX-XXX-XXXX

**Message:**

Good evening. May I ask who this is?

_Sent 11:09_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I apologize for taking quite a while to update! Things in this chapter took quite a turn that even I did not expect, but I still do hope that you enjoy!
> 
> I've been considering having my works(the new and old) read over and edited, so if you're someone who'd be willing to put up with my grammatical errors and super-late updates, feel free to let me know if you're interested by commenting or shooting me a message through my Tumblr ask [here!](shogi-king.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> And of course, I'm always eager to hear your feedback and ideas! Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

The woman with blonde hair was seated on one of the salon chairs with an almost-identical and equally attractive male behind her, kneading his fingers into her shoulders as she sighed in relaxation. 

"You're getting better at this, Ryou!" She beamed at him through the mirror. Her brother, Tetsuya assumed, was about to open his mouth in response until she stood up without a warning and turned around to face the young, blue-haired teen who had been waiting at one of the comfy, white couches. 

Upon hearing the sudden silence, Tetsuya only looked up, only to see the two gaping at him. 

"I... I'm sorry, have you been waiting this whole time?" She questioned him as she approached the waiting area. "I can't believe that I didn't notice! Ryou," Her locks followed her motion as she spun around to glare at her brother. "How come you didn't tell me that our special guest was here?"

"Uwah, I didn't know! If I did, I would notice..." 

Tetsuya stared at them blankly before he drew out their voices and uncrossed his legs to get back in a comfortable reading position.. Clearly, the conversation would last longer than the average argument between siblings, but he could wait. Besides, he didn't want to be here, anyway. Frankly, this was just an order from his father through his secretary, who had come by his house while he was in the middle of reading a new novel that he had picked up from the library. The man also told him that he didn't have to worry about anything, for his father had apparently asked one of the most popular fashion designers of Japan for suggestions on "further feminization and beautification of his daughter".  And afterwards, for the "security of his only child", which the secretary had also quoted, "Please open the salon only for Tetsuya."

After the bickering had died down, the first thing that the woman, whose name he discovered was Kise Miki, had suggested, was a manicure. 

"Have you had a manicure before?" Miki turned his hands over in examination, running the pads of her soft thumbs over his own slender fingers.

The female-disguised male only shook his head and earned a look from gleaming eyes in response. "I can't believe it! How can you have such perfect hands and well-maintained nails for someone who hasn't had a manicure?" 

She did not wait for a response, dropping his hands back onto the towel-covered table and rushing over to get her kit.

 

It took fifteen minutes for the last coat of the nail polish to dry, and probably a millisecond to send the poor boy flying into the salon chair that she had been sitting in merely a half hour ago. And by then, her brother had chosen to join them again with him seated another indistinguishable chair next to the blue-haired girl with now wet hair.  Miki, on the other hand had been busy trailing the comb repeatedly from the crown of his hair down to the end of his locks, which had now reached the middle of his back from years of growing. 

"So, Kurokocchi," Tetsuya tried not to frown at the nickname as the boy leaned forward in interest, "Where are you from?"

"I was originally from this prefecture, but I just moved back here from Kanagawa." He searched the reflection in the mirror to observe the blonde as she snipped at his hair.

" _Kanagawa, really?!"_  He leaned forward on the arm rest, making the latter fear that he was going to fall. "I was doing a photoshoot there last year! How long ago did you move?"

There was a moment of hesitation before he responded, contemplating whether or not to give out considerably personal information. "I moved around a year ago."

"Ooh, maybe we saw each other! Did you see anyone blond? Looking like me? Or wait, maybe that's a confusing question. A lot of people think that they saw me in person because I'm always appearing in magazines and billboards!"

The blue orbs directed their gaze at the male. "You're a model? I never knew. But if I did see someone identical to you, I don't really remember."

"That hurts, Kurokocchi! You didn't even notice me from afar or anything?" The blond wailed, reaching across to latch onto Kuroko's arm rest.

"No," was the blunt response.

"So mean, Kurokocchi...!"

* * *

 

The said "Kurokocchi" was collected by the secretary yet again after four hours; which, to Tetsuya, at first, was too abundant of a time for something as small as a quick visit to the hair salon.

The spared three hours, however, was not a time that he ended up regretting, however, because although he was not one to talk, the two were still eager to give him attention, to get to know him, and to earn his trust and friendship -- which, in the end, resulted in two new contacts in his phone.

As the boy in the back seat of the black car contemplated over sending his new companion a message, however, few bits and pieces of their conversation kept poking at him, nagging him to ask the model.

_'I can't believe that you went to that school, too!' Ryouta's ecstatic expression was soon followed by a small frown. 'But, if we were in the same grade and school, how come I haven't seen you?'_

_'Not many people notice me,' He said as if he were talking about the sun that refused to stay hidden at that hour. 'I only had one friend there, actually.'_

_'No way! How can you have, like, no friends?!' The two siblings stared at him incredulously, their golden eyes reflecting their expression so strongly, like the sun that refused to stay hidden at that hour._

_The blunet only shrugged._

_'Who was it, though? Maybe I know him!'_

_'My friend?'_

_'Yes!'_

_'Seiko -- Ah, I mean, Akashi Seijuu-'_

_'...Akashicchi?'_

_'Yes. Are you also familiar with him?'_

_As if the other male had not heard his question, he sat there, simply dumbfounded, before babbling again. 'How did you become friends with Akashicchi? Are you guys close? I've been friends with him since middle school, but he had to move immediately after graduation since his family discovered that his mother had cancer, so-'_

_'Akashi-san...had cancer? H-how is she doing now?' Tetsuya hid his pale-lilac adorned hands under his thighs in an attempt to conceal his shaking hands._

_Suddenly, the atmosphere grew heavy. 'Oh...'_

Still unbelieving of the response that he refused to hear again in his head, he opened the name A.S. in his phone's contacts and scrolled to the top of their text history to reread the messages that they exchanged since the nearing of the day's expiration, last night. 

 

 **To:** 0XX-XXX-XXXX

**Message:**

Good evening. May I ask who this is?

_Sent 11:09_

 

 **From:** 0XX-XXX-XXXX

**Message:**

You may call me Seiko Seijuuro. What about you?

_Sent 11:09_

 

 **To:**  A.S.

**Message:**

Why is it that you are asking for my name 

if you are the one who texted me?

_Sent 11:15_

 

 **From:** A.S.

**Message:**

I am not one to be indirect, so I will tell you.

_Sent 11:15_

 

 **From:** A.S.

**Message:**

My father gave me a card for my birthday, which is today,

and your number was written on the card. It's quite

questionable of an action, really, but he seemed to be implying

that I know you. With that said, am I actually familiar with you? 

_Sent 11:15_

 

 **To:** A.S.

**Message:**

No, I don't believe that we're familiar with each other, but I wonder

if the time that has come between us has caused me to forget.

Would you be able to familiarize me with yourself? 

_Sent 11:15_

 

 **From:** A.S.

**Message:**

I am rather uncertain if the reason why I'm actually eager to share my information

with someone who could be a potential danger to me is because your diction is

akin to someone I know, or because I am in a considerably sour mood.

_Sent: 11:16_

 

 **To:** A.S.

**Message:**

What has caused your mood to become sour?

_Sent 11:16_

 

 **From:**  A.S.

**Message:**

To put it frankly, my mother died of cancer around nine months ago.

And it seems that my father has moved on from our loss

fairly quickly, but I have not.

_Sent 11:20_

 

 **To:** A.S.

**Message:**

I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your loss. It is your birthday, though, is it not?

It isn't my place to give you advice since I have not experienced what

you have firsthand, but perhaps ending the day on a happier note

would be better. It may not be easy, I admit, but instead of being sad,

just think of how proud your mother must be for being such a 

kind and hardworking person.

_Sent 11:21_

 

 **From:** A.S.

**Message:**

How would you know if I am kind and hardworking, when 

you yourself stated that you don't even recall who I am?

With a situation like ours, it seems to me that we are only

strangers.

_Sent 11:21_

 

 **To:** A.S.

**Message:**

It's simply based on my instinct. To me, it seems like

you would be that way. I must go to sleep now. 

I hope that you have a restful night.

_Sent 11:23_

 

 **From:** A.S.

**Message:**

How interesting. Good night. 

_Sent 11:23_

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys didn't mind the text-style at the end! :-) If it wasn't to your liking, I assure you that it won't be too long until it's gone. 
> 
> If you have anything to express about this story, the comment box below is all yours!


End file.
